Some of the most enjoyable moments of camping are those spent by the warmth of a campfire at night. In addition to keeping you and your fellow campers warm, your campfire can double as a convenient outdoor kitchen. Forget about dirtying the inside of your RV on your next RV trip and test out these unbelievably delicious campfire recipes.

Campfire Chicken and Potatoes

What you’ll need:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed)

1 package fresh mushrooms (sliced)

2 onions (diced)

1 yellow bell pepper (sliced)

1 red bell pepper (sliced)

4 small potatoes (cubed)

4 cloves garlic (sliced)

1 lemon (juiced)

1/4 cup olive oil

Cooking instructions:

Combine the chicken, mushrooms, onion, peppers, garlic and potatoes in a large mixing bowl.

Pour in the lemon juice and olive oil and mix well.

Divide the mixture evenly between four sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, then top each with another sheet of foil. Roll up the edges of the foil to create four packets.

Wrap each packet in one more sheet of tin foil, so they’re all double wrapped.

Cook the packets in the hot coals of the campfire until the chicken is fully cooked and the potatoes are tender (roughly 40 minutes).

Campfire Skillet Breakfast

What you’ll need:

6 eggs (beaten)

1/2 pound bacon

4 cups potatoes (cubed)

1/2 onion (chopped)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cooking instructions:

Cook the bacon until crisp in a skillet over the warm coals of your campfire.

Take the bacon out of the skillet and set it aside, leaving some of the bacon fat in the skillet.

Cook the onion and potatoes in the skillet with the bacon fat. Cover the skillet and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender.

Crumble the bacon into the skillet and stir in the eggs. Cover the entire mixture and heat for roughly 2 minutes or until the eggs are fully cooked.

Sprinkle cheese on top and serve.

Start Your Camping Trip at CCRV

Before you hit the roads for your next RV adventure, bring your RV to CCRV in Corpus Christi. We specializing in servicing, repairing and upgrading your RV, so you can enjoy the safest and most comfortable camping experience yet.

Taking the holidays on the road is one of the many conveniences of owning an RV. No need to tie yourself down to one place — with just a little planning and precaution, you’ll fine that celebrating from the road is one of the best holiday experiences you can have. We’ll assume you have some idea of where you’ll be going, so we’ll focus on getting you there safely and giving you ideas on how to pull off that perfect holiday meal from your RV’s kitchen.

Getting Where You’re Going Safely

First things first — getting to wherever you’re going safely.

Why Holiday Driving can be Dangerous

Any time traffic increases, whether because of a holiday or special event, the chances of having an accident increases. More people are on the road, which means that tempers could be running short. Also, more people are out celebrating at night – and some of those people may not have the good sense to find someone else to drive after they’ve imbibed just a tad too much.

Safe Travel Tips

Regardless of the time of night or day, you should always keep your eye out for erratic drivers. Watching at least 100 feet in front of you helps you to see someone coming at you – possibly in the wrong lane – a little quicker, which may give you those few extra seconds you need to get out of the way.

When following someone, even on the highway, stay at least four or five car lengths behind, which is more than average, but you’re in an RV after all. On surface roads, you should stay at least one car length for every 10 mph behind the person in front of you. If someone has to stop fast or swerves to miss someone or something in the road, you’ll ram right into them if you are too close. While it’s tempting to try to “rush” the person in front of you, especially when he or she may be doing under the speed limit, be patient until it’s safe to pass.

If the weather is bad – whether it’s rain, fog, a mix of precipitation, or snow, drive slower. That means leaving earlier so that you reach your destination safe and on time. Even rain decreases the distance you can see in front of you. Furthermore, roads are slippery when they are wet – and in case where it’s near freezing, can ice over with “black ice,” a sheet of ice that is clear. You can’t tell that from non-iced roads.

Making that Perfect Holiday Meal

These simple but useful tips will help you create the perfect holiday meal while living on the road.

Think Ahead

One of the biggest differences you’ll notice between preparing meals at home and on the road is that you don’t have as much cooking or prep space. To combat this problem, prepare side dishes, desserts and appetizers ahead of time, then simply reheat or serve on the day of your get-together.

Get Creative with Creating Space

Another downfall of limited counter space is that you’ll have a hard time displaying all of your foods in one place when it comes time to eat. This means it’s time to get creative. Use makeshift tables, like ironing boards or card tables, to create more counter or serving space. Cover your new tables with festive table cloths to decorate your RV and hide undesirable blemishes.

Use Pre-Made Items

It may seem unnatural to travelers who are top-notch cooks, but purchasing a number of pre-made dishes can ease your stress and save room in the kitchen. Dips, desserts, rolls, salads, and even some sides can be purchased at markets, delis, or grocery stores that specialize in creating delicious dishes that taste homemade.

Go Outside

If you’re traveling in a warm destination for the holiday season, it pays to hold your party outside of your RV. Picnic tables and outdoor chairs serve as ideal places to dine without crowding or dirtying the interior of your home on wheels. Even better, you can prepare or heat some additional dishes over a fire or on a portable camp stove.

Stop by CCRV This Holiday Season

Ready to try the holidays in a new RV? Stop by CCRV this December to tour any motorhome or trailer on our lot and to ask any questions you may have.

Cooking inside your small RV kitchen with limited space can seem overwhelming, but there are plenty of simple, RV-friendly dishes that can keep you out of fast food restaurants. These easy chicken recipes can be made right inside your RV kitchen, on your outdoor grill or even over the open fire.

Foil Fajitas

What You’ll Need:

3 pounds grilled chicken

1 red pepper (sliced)

1 green pepper (sliced)

2 onions (sliced)

1 package Fajita seasoning mix

12 small tortillas

aluminum foil

Cooking Instructions:

Thoroughly cook the 3 pounds of chicken on the stove, grill or campfire, then slice the chicken into small Fajita-style strips.

Make 10-12 small pouches out of the aluminum foil.

Divide all of the peppers, onions and chicken evenly into the foil pouches.

Follow the instructions on the package to mix the Fajita seasoning in a separate bowl, then pour the seasoning evenly into each pouch.

Seal the pouches, so they won’t drip, and place them on the grill or over warm coals until the ingredients are hot.

Open the pouches and serve each one with a tortilla.

Hunter’s Chicken Dumplings

What You’ll Need:

2 cups chicken (cooked and diced)

1/2 stick butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 flour tortillas

2 large cans chicken broth

Cooking Instructions:

In a large pot, bring the broth, salt, pepper, butter and chicken soup to a boil.

Slice the tortillas into small strips, then mix them into the boiling broth and let them cook for roughly 15 minutes.

Stir the chicken pieces into the broth and let the soup cook for 15 more minutes, then serve.

Get Your Camping Supplies at CCRV

Looking to upgrade your RV for the fall camping season? There’s no better place to shop than right here at your local south Texas RV dealer — CCRV. And if you’re already in the RV of your dreams, don’t forget about us for all of your fall RV and camping supplies.

It’s National Barbecue Month, and that means it’s time to start using that campsite or RV grill. These new takes on classic barbecue dishes are exactly what you need to celebrate the art of barbecuing this spring and summer.

Chili-Glazed Pork Ribs

What you’ll need:

2 racks pork spareribs

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Kosher salt

2 cloves garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Grilling instructions:

Make shallow cuts between each rib.

Mix 1 tablespoon of salt, the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Rub the mixture over the ribs. Place ribs on a rack in a roasting pan and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Stir the cider, ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat the grill to low heat. Cook the ribs bone-side down until tender (2.5 hours). Continue to cook, uncovering every 10 minutes to baste with the sauce, for 40 more minutes.

Remove and cut before serving.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

What you’ll need:

1 teaspoon steak sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon steak sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Grilling instructions:

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Mix the mustard, honey, steak sauce and mayonnaise together in a shallow bowl. Set a small amount of honey mustard aside for basting.

Dip the chicken into the sauce to coat each breast.

Oil the grill grate lightly and grill the chicken over indirect heat for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste the chicken breasts periodically with the reserved sauce in the final 10 minutes.

Start by browning the ground turkey or beef in a large non-stick skillet. Break up the ground meat with a wooden spoon and cook evenly. As your meat begins to be cooked through, add the package of taco seasoning, with the quantity of water called for in the recipe. While your meat is cooking, start cooking the fry bread. Next chop the lettuce, grate the cheese and chop the tomatoes. Once all of your ingredients are cooked and prepped, serve everything together. Each person can assemble their own tacos to suit their liking. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Next add warm water until the dough is elastic, approximately 1 1/2 cups. Knead the dough until it is soft, then allow the dough to rise for 10 to 20 minutes. Before beginning to cook the fry bread heat up the cooking oil until sizzling hot for frying. To cook the fry bread, tear off a small piece of the dough and flatten until the dough is thin, and poke a hole through the middle. Place the piece of dough into the hot oil, being careful not to splatter or touch the oil. Cook the fry bread until brown on both sides. remove the bread from the oil, once brown, and thoroughly drain off the fry bread on paper towels.

Vacationing in an RV is an excellent way to see the country without leaving the comforts of home, but it’s no fun when you’re not prepared.

Hitting the Road

Regardless of whether you have a deluxe motor coach or a popup tent trailer, galley space in a recreational vehicle is tight. It is temptingly easy to fill up the available storage space with your favorite kitchen gadgets and not have room for the food. A vacation is meant to be relaxing, and as such, meal preparation should not be a chore. A judiciously stocked galley will ensure you have just the equipment you need, and plenty of supplies to allow creativity in meal planning

Be Prepared

Condiments and seasonings are, not surprisingly, the spice of life–they will help add variety to your meals. As with the equipment, versatility is helpful. If all you have is canned chili, then chili is what’s for dinner. Canned beans, however, can be turned into chili, served as a side dish, made into a salad for a picnic, or even mashed into a dip. Having pasta and pasta sauce on hand is great for when you’re tired from a long day of exploring and boiling water is about all the cooking you want to do!

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

As storage space is limited, you will want to take as little equipment as possible in order to maximize the space available for your supplies. Equipment and tools should be as multi-purpose as possible: a pair of large, flat pot lids–or even dinner plates–can be used to cover skillets, saucepans, and large pots alike. Not only can a colander strain your spaghetti, it will also double as a serving bowl for a salad (dressing on the side, of course) or popcorn. Leave the specialty knives at home! It is a rare recipe indeed that requires more than a sharp paring knife and 10-inch chef’s knife. A serrated bread knife can also come in handy.

Even if your RV is fully equipped with a residential kitchen, one of the best parts of the RV lifestyle is enjoying meals outside with friends. And having your RV within reach makes picnicking just about anywhere a breeze. These simple recipes can be made ahead of time, so you and your guests can enjoy a stress-free RV picnic together.

Summer Crab Rolls

What You’ll Need:

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 pound lump crab meat (drained)

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons butter (softened)

12 dinner rolls (cut in half)

12 lettuce leaves

6 plum tomatoes (cut into four slices each)

Cooking Instructions:

Combine the onion, mayonnaise, chives, mustard, lemon juice, pepper sauce and crab meat in a large bowl and toss them together well.

Spread butter onto each side of the cut rolls.

Heat a non-stick skilled on the stove over medium heat.

Toast the roll halves in the pan for roughly one minute or until they’re toasted.

Scoop 1/4 cup of the crab mixture onto one half of each roll, then top with one piece of lettuce and two plum tomato slices.

Top each with half of a roll and serve.

Marinated Chickpeas

What You’ll Need:

1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

1/4 cup pickled banana peppers (chopped)

1/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted and chopped)

2 teaspoons fresh chives (chopped)

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves (minced)

2 cans chickpeas (rinsed and drained)

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation Instructions:

Combine the parsley, olives, banana peppers, feta cheese, chives, rosemary and chickpeas together in a large bowl.

Whisk the oil, lemon juice and garlic together in a separate bowl.

Drizzle the garlic mixture over the chickpeas and toss to coat.

Chill for an hour and serve.

RV enthusiasts agree that outdoor picnics are a staple part of the RV lifestyle. And there’s no better place to start your RV lifestyle than right here at CCRV — your local South Texas RV dealer. Stop in to see all of our incredible deals on new and used RVs today.

Preparing food over a campfire is part of the fun of on-the-road traveling. With an inventory of simple grocery items, you can prepare some classic campfire favorites that will have everyone clamoring for more.

It’s harvest time and that means an abundance of fruits and vegetables that we may not see through the rest of the year. It is also the time for spooks and goblins. Halloween can be a creative time for families, pumpkin carving, decorations, and of course the costumes.

It can also be a creative time in the kitchen. Whether you are at home or on the road this season, here are some Halloween themed recipes for your enjoyment from your south Texas RV dealer, CCRV.

Mix together all of the ingredients well and spread over the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas tightly, wrap plastic around the tortillas and refrigerate for one hour or more. Then cut into about 1/2 inch slices and serve. This tasty treat will have them coming back for more!

With a mixer, beat together the sugar and the cream cheese until it is smooth, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Chill for about 8 hours. Serve with the slices of apples and ginger snap cookies.

In skillet, over medium heat, melt butter, add onion, celery, parsley, and mushrooms and stir often. Next, in a large mixing bowl, put the vegetables over the bread cubes. Then add the seasonings and pour the broth in just to moisten it. Mix in the eggs and put in the slow cooker. Cook for 45 minutes on high and four to eight hours on low.

Well, here we are full-on into the holidays! If you are living the life in a south Texas RV, or on the road visiting friends and relatives, you can make some holiday appetizers to help make the season more fun. We’ve focused on recipes that are unique, easy to make, and that use ingredients that bring the holidays to mind. Thanks to our friends at the Food Network for the recipes.

Blue Cheese with Date Spread

Sandra Lee hosts “Semi-Homemade Cooking” on the Food Network and takes advantage of store bought packaged foods, and puts her own spin on it. This spread takes only 20 minutes of prep time, great news when preparations are being made in a motorhome. Only five ingredients and a food processor and you are on your way to a deliciously different holiday themed spread appetizer. You’ll find her complete recipe and a link to print it out here.

Spicy Sweet Potato Pancakes with Holiday Guacamole

Rachael Ray made 30 minute meals famous, and so can this appetizer. Prove that those Texas license plates on that travel trailer are for real. Avocados, jalapenos and chili powder give this recipe a Texas twist. Keep the pancakes small so this can be served as an appetizer. Cooking time is just 10 minutes. Interested? Get the complete recipe here.

Sugar and Nut Glazed Brie

Ten minutes of prep time and eight minutes to cook is all it takes for this Paula Deen recipe to create 18 servings. This fresh and healthy appetizer includes apple and pear slices, and macadamia nuts or pecans. A sweet and nutty way to share the holidays while RV’ing! For the complete recipe and a printable copy go here.

Yummo! We leave you this time with a Rachael Ray recipe that is sure to be greeted with smiles and a nod to your innovation. No simple tomato juice and hot sauce here. Rachael uses crushed tomatoes (don’t fear, canned is OK!), horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and black pepper to give this unique recipe a Texas style kick. Oh, yeah, and don’t forget the vodka, or the shrimp! Get her recipe for Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail here.

The holidays are a great time to talk about the joys of RV’ing as you get together with family and friends. We hope you’ll share that CCRV is your South Texas RV dealership. Remind them that even starting out with a used RV Corpus Christi Recreation Vehicles can help. Enjoy the recipes and enjoy the holidays!